I don't even like planes. Yet there is something very special about MSFS. Even with its bugs, it's still very playable, and bug fix turnarounds for serious game breaking bugs, get sorted quickly. In most cases they get fixed overnight. But then MS/Asobo have huge resources to do that. As for msfs2024, I'm not sure if I will be buying it on the day of release yet? Though I am fully confident that if I do, any bugs on release will be very quickly squashed! I just wish that DTG's upper Brass would have this attitude, and allow DTG to create something that we all can be very proud of. I just want them to stop treating this product as a cheap Chinese production line. When we watch the livestreams there is so much passion in them, and it's heartbreaking knowing that those from above don't let them put all of that passion into what could be, and should be an amazing product.
It’s funny Vern, six months ago I was constantly bashing TSC of how inferior and outdated it was, it’s only until I bought the game and experienced it first hand that I can confidently say it’s miles ahead of TSW as a train sim. TSC just has more going for it with its bigger library of content, not to mention it looks more realistic especially when you have the AP mods installed. The vegetation also as you approach it look more detailed than what UE4 trees are in TSW. I don’t think UE4 is all that great tbh, if Dovetail had some better talent they could invent their own game engine. Another one of my favourite franchises was ruined (WRC). As soon as EA bought codemasters back in 2021 and started using UE4, they completely changed the game experience for me, it never felt the same. Again, the old game engine which codemasters used in their previous games was a lot better and it’s the same with dovetail. UE4 has caused them nothing but problems.
Really? Yes, back in the days of TSW 3, but with the release of TSW 4 the topic was never mentioned again. And in my perception it was never officially announced that the Add-on Manager is now part of the TSW 4 core, although it is pretty obvious that this is the case for the reasons I mentioned. And the crashes that occurred immediately after the release of TSW4 among Xbox players who owned a lot of content also support this theory. Please don’t get me wrong, integrating the Add-on Manager for all platforms was the only logical and rational decision, in several respects. Sometimes I just have the feeling that people keep things quiet for fear of negative comments or shitstorms, and in doing so achieve exactly the opposite. I know this from my own work, CEOs sometimes tend to use such methods, but ultimately it achieves nothing except additional stress.
Getting OT now but my favourite rally game of all time was the Magnetic Fields Rally Championship in 1999. It had every course of the British (and IOM) faithfully replicated, no fictional or generic tracks like you get now. Classics like Hafren Sweetlamb, Pundershaw or the punishing nearly 30 miles of Kershope. I did manage to get it running again a couple of years ago but last time I recently tried couldn’t start it. Looks very dated by now but still an absolute classic.
Its not like we haven't had those discussions. Its not like its feeling we have been here before, multiple times. I absolutely feeling this disappointment, because for me aswell TSW5 again is a case of "dont look too closely". Fhe longer you play the more Problems and bugs appear. And this wouldn't be as bad if you would know DTG is keen to* iron those failures out, yet im still asking for substantial fixes for the LFR route. They release, they forget. At least thats the feel you get because when they fix (which happens) they only do those fixes that are cheap and quick. Always. Cars driving through level crossings while being closed ? -> remove the traffic (not fixing the actual problem). Just one example. This strategy, to carry over faults year after year is why we always will end up in a Situation where its almost impossible to go back and fix all the broken stuff, just because it must be such a huge amount. Its not just about Routes and Rolling Stock, features experiencing the same problematic approach. How can it be that Formation Designer is declared fully implemented when several rolling stock still isn't correctly implemented and we still haven't got an option to choose between empty and loaded wagons ? For DTG its done and we are now dealing again with something half baked. Free Roam is the absolute same story, still we are dealing with problems like a faulty dispatcher that cannot deal with a loco thats moving "second cab forward" this problem should be known since release of this feature, yet DTG managed to even carrying this exact problem over, but actually making this function worse by their new 2D Map that suddenly locks you in. What staggers me is that there is so much valuable feedback here, and if you reading though these forums, its clear as day what players expect : substantial Bug fixing and a clear step up in QA before stuff gets released in a broken state (so we dont end up in the same situation). Sadly on that side its the same old same old as ever. Even though they making good progress on a lot of aspects, with all of this half baked stuff they are limiting themselves massively.
I don't understand the discussion. At PC I do not experience crashes very often. TSW has been far more stable that TSC used to be. You may or may not like the new contant and you may not like the transition to TSW5, but they are generous. You get all DLC copied to the new game for free. Cajon Pass is upgraded, you got a nice upgrade for WSR, GWE is on its way at some point. You cannot have it all. We are demanding super realism, but the start complaining about performance instead of buying a faster computer system.
Does no harm to take a break from TSW now and again and move onto something else for a bit. I've just bought Silent Hill 2 so that'll use up the spare time I have and I only tend to spend gaming time between Thursday and Saturday but not always due to other commitments. I'll wait to see what the sales bring to get WCMLS as the modders EP looks stunning. December is also seeing the release of the Indiana Jones game so that will also take plenty of time over Xmas. Despite other games, I always return for a major long fix of TSW after a short break.
The problem is that people like to complain and share all the bad things while enjoying a cup of tea... Welcome to reality I'm afraid
i have issue just play a scenario on San Bernadino. Where you set up and refuel a train take it to depot ,it goes well until you got to search for a suitcase a passenger has left well i cant find it ...probably a bug looked tgh every darn car ...besides whom ever designed the scenario should have had you ask the lady ma am which car were you riding in then she could at least point to the direction which car she was in to expedite matters so as to not have to look tgh every damn bi level car for the thing
plus there are always botched or poorly designed scenarios in tsw games there are 2or 3 uncompleteable scenarios in Antelope valley.. The finding lost hiker and Con fare one s for sure
The TSW5 WCML backlash was fairly muted compared to the flack SI Games/Sega are getting for delaying the release of Football Manager 25. It went from just over a month to release to 5 months away. I suspect something big broke in the latter stages of development. I hadn't seen the news about the delay when I posted earlier. Vibes eh?
At least they are delaying it, and not just releasing it as a bug fest. They would have really been complaining if it was released full of bugs
I totally get this sentiment. On the one hand TSW will always be one of my favourite games and I have hundreds of hours into it and well over a thousand dollars from owning pretty much all of the DLC (some of it on two platforms). I’ve owned every TSW 1-5. But I definitely get fatigued from all the bugs and issues. It’s hard to enjoy playing it when I’m plagued with performance issues, it crashes or freezes, or I’m spending all kinds of time documenting issues and reporting them. Then every new version of the game or patches seem to fix one issue but break another and it’s a never ending thing. It gets to the point where it isn’t an enjoyable experience which sort of defeats the purpose of playing a game. I really feel it when I switch to another game (for example Gran Turismo 7) and it’s like a breath of fresh air. Runs smooth as butter, everything works, looks beautiful, runs exactly how it should.
I honestly think the best way forwards is for DTG/Focus, instead of bringing out TSW6, they literally should start from scratch. They should completely build a new core game, like they did with TSC to TSW. In my view it's the best option. The more they put into TSW the bigger the hole is becoming. They are at the point now where they can't get out of it. They really do need to go back to the drawing board. All these ideas and features that they are trying to do is just to much for them. I really want TSW to be special, and in concept it is, but in gameplay it's getting worse with every new release. I dread to think how bad the next version is going to be? The boffins at DTG are a talented bunch, but there's only so much that they can do in 12 months.
Certainly with hindsight UE was a poor choice. I know some scoff at Unity but when you look how SimRail and DRS have come along I do wonder what might have been possible with the weight of a big developer behind it. DRS has also managed to deliver a user editor which, apart from not yet being able to import terrain or mapping data, is hands above the undocumented mess DTG tried to foist on us for TSW. The problem with starting over, is that there’s now in excess of 50 route DLC for TSW and more on the way, plus various other content. Unless these can be seamlessly ported across to a new game engine, which of course also needs to work on consoles, there would be a massive outcry.
I agree, it would look bad bringing out a completely new game with no backwards compatibility. I still think it's a shame that the traction and routes in TSC can't be ported to TSW as the basis for each to be updated to TSW standards. Take AP's Class 411 for example, a work of art as a DLC, the modelling is TSW standard, the game-play, 3D world element isn't. Scripting would be a mountain to climb I guess. Backwards compatibility can be baked into a new game, it appears to be a choice because MS/Asobo have confirmed that MSFS 2020 DLC will be updated for use in MSFS 2024. Players of FM24 will be able to take their saved game into FM25 (when it finally appears). DTG probably have hundreds of things that with the benefit of hindsight they wished they done with TSW, it wouldn't surprise me if they are looking into whether they can do what MS/Asobo are doing, they're probably watching closely. I hope Focus can give DTG a little more financial muscle to take the next step using tech that wasn't about in 2017 so that routes and DLC can be pumped out more regularly. Traction in particular.
If dtg brought an entirely new game to the table, that mimics the playability of tsc with the graphics of tsw. I would happily take it. Moving tsw to another engine just to solve some current issues, which in turn would mean having to wait and buy all the dlc again as it comes, doesn't seem like a good idea.
1 year .... It's been 1 year since I stopped playing on tsw. I couldn't stand having these little jerks every 10 seconds. this game is a summary of LOVE, of everything that should absolutely not be done. Bug, bug, bug jerks, jerks, crashes, it's ugly. yes it's ugly, the shadows are absolute LOVE, the lighting worthy of a dirty toilet.. so well I went back to tsc. it may be less pretty and again, but at least it's fluid, there's so much more to do than on tsw which is a completely closed game. Anyway, 1 year later I downloaded the free update like many and therefore reinstalled 300 GB of DLC!!! an absurdity, how is it possible to redownload 300 GB for a 100 MB update? Anyway, I drove for 10 minutes, my head hurt because it was so buggy and the damn jerks!!!!! DTG, excuse me but it's LOVE. I have EA wrc on ue4, they had very big optimization issues too but yes the game is smooth as butter now. How come 7 years later it's still so rotten on yours? As you understood, tsw is dead and buried for me, anyway I have almost all of tsc so I can do without this "next turd" ......
Yep, for some reason we don't have a more expansive foliage set for TSW as yet, could be down to performance. We could certainly do with a foliage refresh, it's getting a bit boring seeing the same old 3-4 tree types. I was playing Richard Burns Rally recently with the new maps, the foliage is mostly all 2d/fake 3d but it looks incredibly realistic, more so than TSW I would suggest. Performance is insanely good with this type of 2d foliage, this game is quite old (2004). If only we could create a train sim with their engine, would give amazing fps.
I agree. Do we really need 3D trees in the far distance behind the invisible wall? What's the point in them, we can't exactly walk around them to view them. 2D trees would be better as they would help increase frame rates. They can be plastered over hills and mountains, to create realistic forests and woodlands. Plus they would hide those awful 3D rock formations. 3D assets are only needed in the foreground and in accessible areas not in the far distance.
Wow! That game is from 2004. That’s insane. The assets being used are a lot better than what we see in most games today. Yeah the only time I’ve seen different foliage is with niddertalbahn, they used a lot of different types of trees of all shapes and sizes and it was very refreshing to see something different. I haven’t played much attention to the Blackpool branches, but given the reputation of Just Trains I would say they have new foliage assets too, also the Tadami line will 100% be using authentic Japanese style assets.
I haven’t touched TSW 5 for 3 weeks since I last played it. The constant crashes have put me off. So, I’ve downloaded and played Fern bus simulator instead! Until the devs for TSW 5 have stabilised the game for console players and reduce the crashing? Maybe…
All free maps as well, using the mods; https://www.rallysimfans.hu/rbr/download.php?download=rsfrbr Most rally fans say it's still the most realistic rally sim to date, especially regarding physics and force feedback. Good point, I forgot about that one, haven't bought it as of yet. There are plenty of amazing looking trees/foliage available for use in UE via libraries, I tried to download a few for a route I was dabbling in using the editor but the quirks of DTG's editor didn't allow the proper import of them. Most likely user error though. I haven't touched the editor for a while now, got bogged down in learning it, not enough time etc. Full time job really using that.
Not a train station. No need to announce your departure. I'm not reading all this. Just the title. Don't waste your time posting about leaving and just leave.
Here's the thing. Tsc and tsw use completely different engines, require different levels of detail and simulation and there's much more gameplay to create.
Yes. I'm just saying it's a shame that it wasn't possible. Very much in the same way that it's a shame I didn't win the lottery this week. Both were highly unlikely to be possible for different reasons. Do you think a future backwards compatibility with TSW for a new DTG train sim would be possible? Let's start with a small step like from UE4 and UE5. Would UE4 assets break in UE5?
Holy moley. That looks almost photo realistic, in fact you could almost be watching a video clip of the real thing. Have always been a fan of the rally games, now I need to see if I can find the install CD where I hid it and get RBR up and running, grab the new maps. DTG do indeed need to take note of this, including the lighting. My only caveat watching the clip is because the stage was set on a forest road, not easy to see how it was handling the distant scenery but, Yegods, impressive.
Some of the newer maps have incredible distant scenery, there seems to be lots of modders who create great assets and maps for this old sim. Also, Asetto Corsa is still going strong, similar graphics style to RBR - again, great performance as well due to 2d/fake 3d foliage which works well.
The processing power of today’s graphics cards can achieve “reality” if it is increased 800 times, so can we wait until that day?
Rats though. A search of my disc folders and drawers has thus far failed to turn up the original install disc (which was the PC Gamer version). Will have to undertake a more thorough hunt later. Even if it’s genuine abandonware and I’m only restoring what I previously bought, I get a bit uneasy around places that host the installers.
Check GOG.com first - no need to visit shady sites. GOG sells old games completely DRM free for a few bucks. Got me Wing Commander III + IV there. Always worth replaying.
Im agree, the main problem like we said tons of time, is that they release new addons and new addons but they didnt fix the major issues, the main game is not running smoothly, how we can pay a 75€ for a game and all this time have lags? im with you...sometimes starting playing and leaving the game after some minutes trying to see what i can play then...and that is the big lose for Dovetail...i think...i see they dont care....
